The Commanders hired Dan Quinn to be their next head coach, but it turns out that was only because Mike Macdonald turned down their offer to join the Seahawks.

The Washington Commanders were the final team in the NFL this offseason to hire a new head coach, and they landed on former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their guy. However, it was clear to many fans that Quinn wasn’t their first choice, and it turns out he may not have even been their second choice either.

Initially, it seemed like the Commanders were locked in on Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to come in and be their next head coach, but he pulled himself from consideration shortly after the Lions lost the NFC Championship Game. After that, Washington reportedly turned to Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, and even went as far as offering him the job. However, they ended up getting outbid by the Seattle Seahawks, forcing them to turn to Quinn.

“Beyond two interviews, including a face-to-face chat last Monday, there were strong overtures and a job offer made to Macdonald by the Commanders…Once Johnson was out of the running, the Commanders thought they were going to get Macdonald until the Seahawks swooped in with more money. Washington more than checked in before Macdonald committed, league sources confirmed.” – Ben Standig & Dianna Russini, The Athletic

Were the Commanders forced to settle for Dan Quinn as their next head coach

Dan Quinn in Commanders gear with Commanders stadium in background, Ron Rivera

Of course, the Commanders wouldn’t have hired Quinn if they didn’t feel good about him, but it’s pretty eye-opening to see that they wanted Macdonald after missing out on Johnson, only to watch him land with the Seahawks. Quinn was a leading candidate throughout their hiring process, but these reports indicate that both Johnson and Macdonald were higher on Washington’s wish list than he was.

In the end, Washington decided that Quinn was their guy, and he will provide a sense of veteran leadership that both Johnson and Macdonald do not possess. But it’s interesting to see that they ended up missing out on their top two targets, and it will be interesting to see what happens if Quinn ends up struggling in his first season in charge.